Great Historical Stuff

In the history of the Jasper region, several famous family names stand out during the end of the fur trade era: Swift, Findlay, Breland, Joachim, Cardinal, and Karakwanté. But no name is more renowned than that of Moberly. The Moberlys were a respected family who played a major role in surveying and the settling the Jasper valley.

Before the railroad came in 1911 there were several substantial residences on both sides of the Athabasca River. All of these buildings were made from hand-hewn logs. One of them, the home of Ewan Moberly, still stands on the site of his homestead at Moberly Flats. Ewan and his brother John were metis sons of the last full time factor of the Hudson Bay post, called Jasper house. Their mother Susan Cardinal, a woman of Iroquois descent, is buried at Moberly Flats in a glade surrounded by poplar, white spruce, and lodgepole pine.

In the early days people travelled either on horseback or they walked. There were no bridges. It was necessary, therefore, to forge the Athabasca River. There was a good spot to cross the river near Ewan Moberly’s homestead. It became common practice for travellers to shoot a rifle into the air indicating their need for assistance. Members of the Moberly family would then take them across by canoe, and if needed help herd their horses across the river.

Today the Moberly buildings and Susan Cardinal’s grave are the historic sites of greatest value in Jasper National Park. Cobblestone Creek is the name of the stream that runs through Moberly Flats.